Arts & Culture

Best Places To See Ballet In The DC Area

Ballet is more than just men and women dancing on their tippy toes. It is a highly technical form of dance that involves acting, athleticism and artistic talent that takes years of practice to master. Many establishments in the D.C. area feature ballet performances year-round. Check out one of these best places to see ballet in the D.C. area.

Known as the nation’s busiest performing-arts facility, the Kennedy Center is home to a wide variety of musical, theatrical and dance performances. From world-renowned ballet performances, such as “The Nutcracker,” to locally-produced ballet productions, the Kennedy Center has it all. Upcoming ballet performances include “Giselle” by the Paris Opera Ballet Company, “Cinderella” by the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Ballet Company and “Ballet 360,” a lecture series that delves into the art and many different styles of ballet.

Imagination Stage takes popular children’s tales, like “Aladdin’s Luck” and “Rapunzel,” and, according to the Maryland Theatre Guide, translates them into an “energetic visual feast that both children and kids will love.” Imagination Stage is recognized as the premier East Coast children’s theatre and arts education center. Classes, camps and other exciting programs are available for children ages one to 18. Be sure to check out “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” presented by the Washington Ballet Company, told through beautiful music, ballet and puppetry.

Specializing in Russian ballet, the Kirov Academy features seasonal performance series that are set all over the world and tell tales of love, mystery, justice, vengeance and more. Each show features students from the highly-esteemed academy. The Kirov Academy of Ballet is a pre-professional boarding school that offers its students academic as well as ballet training and education, an ESL program, residential dormitories, chaperoned trips and more. Visit the Kirov Academy of Ballet website to learn more about current seasonal performances.

As the name of the theatre suggests, the Classical Ballet Theatre features traditional ballet performances, including “Swan Lake,” as well as contemporary dance and other performing-arts productions. Large groups attending a performance can request a backstage tour where they will meet and greet with the performers as well as get a behind-the-scenes look of the stage and set-up before the start of the show. All performances take place at the Cultural Center Theater at the Northern Virginia Community College campus in Annandale unless otherwise noted in the program. Visit the Classical Ballet Theatre website to learn more about current ballet performances.

Known for its part in assisting the revitalization of H Street in northeast D.C., the Atlas entertains its guests with music, performing arts and unique dining. In addition to ballet, special events held at the center include concerts, cabaret, musical theater, films, spoken word and family-friendly productions. In “Idomeneo,” written by Mozart, watch what happens when a king, desperate to save his men from the ravages of a storm at sea, promises to sacrifice the first human he encounters once they reach land. Little does he know that the first human he encounters will be his son. Performed by members of the Washington Ballet, the show is sure to please all audiences and is playing through June 17.

Susan Diranian is a freelance writer living in Ashburn, VA. She is covering Travel & Outdoors. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.